Prison warden attacks journalists for taking convict
photograph
A prison warder, Mr A.A. Teriba, yesterday attacked
Mr Adebisi Onanuga of The Nation for attempting to
take the photograph of the condemmed bricklayer.
As Onanuga attempted to take Adebowale’s
photograph, the warder pounced on him and
directed him to hand over his Blackberry phone.
Leaving the condemned man unguarded, Teriba
punched Onanuga on the chest, tore his shirt and
removed three of the buttons.
When he (Onanuga) passed the phone to Gbenga
Adewoye of the AIT/RayPower, Teriba turned to him
and punched him also on the chest in an attempt to
forcibly take the phone from him.
The incident attracted court officials, lawyers and
security officers.
All efforts to settle the matter were rebuffed by
Teriba, who boasted that he was ready to take it up
to Abuja.
It took the intervention of the Director of Public
Prosecution (DPP), Mrs. Idowu Alakija, to bring the
situation under control.
Two weeks ago, a prison warder assaulted Wahab
Akinlade of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria
(FRCN) when he took the photograph of Baale of
Temidire in Alagbado, Alhaji Nojeen Abioye, who is
standing trial for alleged murder and manslaughter.
The incident attracted Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo,
who told the prison official that the reporter did
nothing wrong.
Last month, a prison warder attacked the
cameraman of Silverbird Television and Mr.
Jesuchri Imoni, an independent journalist, for taking
the photograph of Akin Fatiregun and Oladele
Ogundeji, both engineers, when they were remanded
in Kirikiri prison pending the hearing of their bail
applications.
The incident was reported to the high court Chief
Registrar, Mr. Emmanuel Ogundare, who summoned
the prison warders, including Teriba to his office.
It was learnt that the chief registrar advised them
against such acts in future.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Akinwale
Akintunde of ThisDay said yesterday’s attack was
the third on reporters covering the court within six
weeks.
Akintunde said it seemed the prison officials have
resolved to attack the reporters for doing their job.
He advised prison authorities to re-orientate their
officers and carry out periodic mental checks on
them.
Those capable of bringing the Nigerian Prison
Service to ridicule should be shown the way out, he
added.
